History of Auto Glass – How Windshields and Car Glass were Invented

[youtubestruct src=https://www.youtube.com/embed/9ULmTHg5Hxo][title=History of Auto Glass – How Windshields and Car Glass were Invented][duration=PT5M19S][uploadDate=2015-07-26T21:57:45.000Z][thumbnailURL=][ytid=9ULmTHg5Hxo][description=Can you imagine your car without auto glass installed in it? Seems kind of silly to consider at first, and then it begins to paint a dangerous picture.

The road debris that would fly in your face, the bugs that you’d be accelerating into, the possible fast flying stone; or perhaps the fact that your air conditioning would blow right out of you cabin, practically unfelt.

And in the winter? Forget it. You couldn’t possibly drive at high speeds when the temperatures are already freezing and wet–you’d likely catch hypothermia!

All of that may seem minor, until of course you consider that your windshield and autoglass contribute up to 60% of your vehicle’s overall cabin strength! Or that properly installed auto glass can hold up to 1.5 times your vehicle’s weight.

Or yet another little known fact, which is that your auto glass is designed to prevent you from ejecting from your vehicle in an accident–since ejecting from your vehicle gives you a high chance of possibly dying. Now imagine getting into a head on collision, or a rollover accident. Yikes!

Auto glass is the unsung hero of our vehicle. It takes all the filth of the road, keeps us cool in the summer and toasty in the winter, and is an integral safety feature of our car’s structural integrity.

But where did the idea for auto glass come from?

In the early 20th century, horseless carriages began to use glass to protect driver and passengers from harsh winds. That’s about all it protected anyone from. Even small stones hitting the glass could possibly cause it to shatter.

On top of it, the glass was not treated to break into blunt pieces–so everyone in the vehicle was at risk in the event of anything hitting the glass, as it would shatter and cause severe lacerations.

The first version of shatter-resistant glass was discovered on accident by the French chemist Edouard Benedictus in 1903. He had filled a glass flask with dried collodion film, then accidentally dropped it. To his surprise, the glass did not shatter! The glass coated in the film cracked, but kept its original shape. Unfortunately, this laminate glass wouldn’t be used in cars until the 1920s.

The use of laminated glass became widely popular due to a series of lawsuits served against Henry Ford, after some unfortunate accidents.

Right on the tail of laminated glass, was the use of tempered glass in the 1930s. Because there were no regulations for the use of particular types of glass, some car companies would utilize tempered glass for the entire vehicle, as it was most cost effective. Other auto companies would simply use tempered glass for side and rear windows.

In the 1960s, consumer advocate and attorney Ralph Nader began to expose the dangers that existed in the manufacturing of vehicles, and called for safety regulations to be enforced by the government.

This was only the beginning of safety regulations for auto manufacturing and glass, which ultimately led to the legal requirement of using laminated glass for windshields in all vehicles.

Today, laminated glass is rapidly becoming the only kind of glass used in vehicles. Though some consumers and advocates worry about the ability to puncture the glass and escape a vehicle in an emergency (such as being submerged underwater), most professionals believe that the benefits of using laminated glass far outweigh the possible risk.

Which makes one wonder… If my auto glass is so strong, why does it become chipped, pitted, and cracked?

Simply put, your auto glass is made of several molecular bonds. Over time and use they weaken–and under certain environmental constraints, the bonds become easily damaged.

Since your auto glass is so important to your safety as you drive, it’s vitally important that you keep your auto glass in top shape!

If you notice a chip, pit, crack, or scratch that is bigger than the size of a quarter–it’s time to get your auto glass replaced ASAP!

Never settle for sub-par quality in auto glass or installation. Selecting the cheapest possible auto glass replacement usually means the glass quality is poor or the installer is inexperienced and uncertified… Or possibly even both!

Don’t get fooled into a cheap and dangerous auto glass replacement! Visit Glass.net for the best prices, without sacrificing quality or experience.

At Glass.net you can get up to 3 free competing auto glass replacement quotes, in as little as 30 seconds.

Each quote can list important information, such as the certification of the technicians, consumer-generated star reviews, the type of glass the shop uses, and so much more.

Don’t settle for less – go to www.Glass.net to get your free quote right away. Because with Glass.net, you ALWAYS have a choice.][/youtubestruct]
This video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ULmTHg5Hxo, can also be seen at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJO5w3HGxR4eJa4PRIVN5A.

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